Bottle cleaning brush apparatus



Aug. 5, 1941. c. w. REISE BOTTLE CLEANING BRUSH APPARATUS Filed April 20. 1939 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 OFFICE.

2,251,497 BOTTLE CLEANING BRUSH APPARATUS Charies W. Reise, Milwau kec, Wis., assigner to Abraham D. Braun, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application April 20, 1939, Serial No. 268,862

(Cl. l-165) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bottle cleaning brush apparatus.

In bottle washing equipment such as is used in breweries and the like, conveyors deliver the empty bottles to various Washing stations and at each station a bottle is held in a vertically inverted position with its neck over and in registration with a bushing. A retracted brush spindle is moved through the bushing to introduce the brush into the bottle. |I'he spindle is moved to not only longitudinally reciprocate the brush relative to the interior of the bottle, but to also turn the brush with the spindle as an axis. Usually the spindles are tubular and cleaning liquid from a source of supply is injected into the bottle through the spindle.

Bottle cleaning brushes used for the aforementioned purpose with the equipment or apparatus above described in general, are merely of a form wherein bristles are secured to end portions of the spindle and said bristles project radially and angularly from the spindle. When the spindle is in a retracted position, the bushing or other means serves to compact the bristles about the spindle whereby the same may be forced into the bottle through its reduced neck when the spindle is projected. When the brush reaches the interior of the bottle the inner side walls of the bottle are engaged by the brush merely because the relatively long bristles flex or Cleaning action therefore is dependent on the condition of the bristles and on their inherent tendency to iiex outwardly. If the bristles are worn and do not iiex outwardly sufficiently their action on the interior surfaces of the bottle will be haphazard and ineffective. Also, lthe standard type of brushes are not so formed that curved and unevenly surfaced bottom portions of the bottle can be effectively reached and cleaned thereby.

Whereas, the standard forms of bottle cleaning brushes utilize bristles which are secured or anchored relatively rigidly at their inner ends to the spindleand hence rely on reaching the bottle surfaces merely by virtue of the exibility, length, and unfolding tendency of the bristles, the brush of the present invention overcomes the before-mentioned objections by the mounting of relatively short bristles on an arm which is foldably associated with the spindle end and wherein yielding means are included to constantly urge the bristle carrying arm to a right angularly extended position relative to the spindle. In this manner, the brush is actually forcefully urged and held by pressure against the bottle surfaces expand outwardly.

and automatically moves inwardly and outwardly to conform with restricted or widened internal portions of a bottle.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a bottle cleaning brush apparatus including an impelled, relatively small brush foldably associated with a spindle and automatically urged outwardly to forcefully engage interior surfaces of a bottle whereby very efficient cleaning action results.

A further object of the a bottle cleaning brush apparatus wherein the bristles are so associated with the brush arm, and the brush arm is so associated with the movable spindle, as to insure the bristles forcefully contacting all inner surface portions of a bottle, including the bottom thereof, and wherein limited wear on the bristles will not impair the eiiicient operation of the brush.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle cleaning brush apparatus wherein the impelling tubular spindle is provided with a yielding section to permit longitudinal yielding of the spindle when the spindle is projected and is operating to move the brush over an uneven inner bottom portion of a bottle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle cleaning brush apparatus having, within the spindle bushing, a revoluble collar to house thebrush when the spindle is retracted, whereby, when the spindle is revolving, the brush and enclosing collar will both turn within the bushing to eliminate wear on the brush bristles under these conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brush device which is readily applicable, with relatively little modification, to all standard forms of bottle cleaning apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle cleaning'brush apparatus which is of very simple construction, which is strong and durable, which is inexpensive to manufacture and install, which is extremely efficient, eifective and iiexible in operation, and which is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

Withv the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved bottle cleaning brush apparatus, and'its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

FigVl is a side View of that portion of a bottle cleaning brush apparatus which embodies the invention is to provide present invention, with parts broken away and in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the neck portion of a bottle and the bushing portion of the improved apparatus, the spindle being shown somewhat projected with the brush engaging an inner surface portion of the bottle;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail vertical sectional view showing the brush engaging the inner bottom surface of the bottle;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in vertical section, of a yielding portion of the tubular brush carrying spindle;

Fig. 6 is a side View of the showing in Fig. 5;

Fig. 'l is an enlarged fragmentary, detail, sectional view of the upper end portion of the spindle showing the manner in which the bristle carrying arm is pivotally and yieldingly connected with the spindle, said arm being in its right angular position relative to the spindle;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the showing in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. '7 only Showing the arm more or less longitudinally alined with the spindle, which position is attained when the brush is retracted into its bushing.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will appear that the bottle cleaning brush apparatus includes a vertically arranged bottlereceiving station of conventional form including a base plate I2 through which a bushing I3 projects. An upper bracket I4 is rigidly connected to the plate I2 by means of straps I5 and said bracket yieldingly supports a vertical rod I6. Said rod i6 carries at its lower end fingers I'I for the purpose of clampingly engaging the normal bottom of an inverted bottle I S. The bottle is the type used for beverages of various kinds and in practice, empty bottles are returned to the brewery or bottling plant and must be thoroughly cleaned, sterilized, and scrubbed prior to being refilled. Conveyor mechanism (not shown) delivers individual empty bottles to the various cleaning stations, and, as shown in Fig. 1, the open neck of the inverted bottle I8 is positioned on a top disc i9, which closes the upper end of the bushing 3, and seats in a dished recess 2G in said disc. Centrally of said recess the disc is formed with an opening 2l registering with the opening through the bushing I3. The vertically movable and yielding clamping device has the fingers il engaging the other end of the bottle, as shown.

The bushing I3 encloses a revoluble bored, spool-like collar 22. Roller bearings 23 are interposed between the inner surface of the bushing and the outer surface of the collar. Ar] elongated tubular, revoluble, and longitudinally movable spindle 2@ is associated with said bushing and its upper end portion is adapted to move within the collar 22. Said spindle is adapted to be rapidly revolved by a motor or other driving means (not shown) connected to its lower end portion. In addition to this movement, the spindle may be longitudinally moved relative to .the bushing to project or retract the upper end of the spindle relative to the interior ofthe bottle I8. Conventional means (not shown) are associated with the lower end of the spindle for moving the same longitudinally either mechanically or manually, and said means may move along guide rods 25.

In order that the spindle may longitudinally yield for the purpose hereinafter to be explained. a portion thereof, somewhat below the bushing, is formed as is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. It will be observed that at the desired point the spindle is split. A connecting tube section 2B has its lower end portion tightly fitted into an enlarged bore 36 of the lower spindle section, and the Lipper end portion of said connecting tube eX- tends slidably into an enlarged bore 3| of the upper spindle section. The outer wall portions of the adjacent upper spindle section are provided with opposed longitudinal slots 2'l through which the headed ends of a pin 28 project, said pin being carried transversely by the upper end portion of the tube section 26. A coiled spring 29, surrounding the intermediate portion of the tube section 26, has its opposite ends abutting against the adjacent ends of the upper and lower spindle sections. The spring 29 normally urges the spindle sections apart to the extent of the movement permitted by the pin 28 in the slots 2l. However, if an end thrust or downward pressure isexerted on the outer end of the spindle, the upper spindle section can slide downwardly somewhat on the tube 26, against the force of the spring 29, to compensatingly temporarily reduce the eective length of the spindle.

The upper end portion of the spindle 2li is reduced and externally threaded. There is removably threaded onto said portion of the spindle a tubular cap 32. Within the upper end of said cap there is anchored a transverse pivot pin 33 on which is rotatably mounted a pair of ears 3ft which project from the inner end of a movable brush arm 35. A brush 35 is anchored to and projects from said brush arm, and said brush is relatively small with series of bristles arranged in substantially spiral formation, with the end bristles being off-set. A spring 37 is coiled about the pivot pin 33. One end of the spring bears against an interior surface of the cap 32 while the other end portion of the spring is attached to the brush arm 35. The effect of this arrangement is that said spring constantly exerts a force on the arm 35 to urge it toward a right angular position relative to the spindle, as in Fig. 7.

In the operation of the improved bottle cleaning brush apparatus, a bottle I3 is delivered to the cleaning station and is clamped in inverted position onto the disc I9, in the manner shown in Fig. l. The spindle 2li is in a vertically retract-ed position, with the result that the brush 35 is substantially longitudinally alined with the spindle and is housed by the collar 22 within the bushing I3. It may be assumed that the motive force is in operation to rotate the spindle. Consequently the brush 35 is turning but by virtue of its frictional engagement with the collar 22, said collar will turn on the roller bearings 23 within the bushing i3 and hence wear on the enclosed brush is entirely eliminated under these conditions.

During the cleaning operations, it is of course the reduced neck of the bottle. At the same time the spindle is rotating so the brush rotates within the bottle and effectively moves over and forcefully brushes the inner surface portions of the bottle with which it is in contact. The pivotal mounting of the brush relative to the cap 32 and the contracting force of the spring 31 now becomes effective to urge the brush toward an angular position relative to the axis of the spindle and hence the brush forcefully contacts the interior of the bottle and this occurs notwithstanding the fact that the bottle interior may widen out substantially.

From the neck portion of the bottle the spindle is projected upwardly and the brush eventually engages the inner side walls of the widened body portion of the bottle, as in Fig. 2. Eventually the brush will reach the closed bottom end of the bottle, as in Fig. 3, and at this period the improvement of the present invention becomes especially effective. As shown, the brush arm 35 at this point is disposed right angularly to the axis of the spindle and hence a relatively long extent of the brush can sweep over the bottom surface of the bottle and a thorough scrubbing action results by Virtue of the tension on the brush and by virtue of the thrust exerted by the spindle. In practice it is found that the bottom portion of bottles are as a rule not only somewhat dished but are of uneven thicknesses. With the present invention the brush may move over said uneven surfaces and effectively brush and clean the same. As heretofore mentioned, during these conditions, the yielding section of the spindle becomes effective to compensatingly yield or eX- pand according to the pressure exerted by Virtue of the brush moving over uneven end surfaces of the bottle.

After the brush has been gradually moved into the bottle lengthwise thereof, as described, the spindle is gradually retracted to withdraw the brush and the action during this procedure is the same as that previously described. Ultimately the brush becomes rehoused within the collar 22, as in Fig. 1, and the bottle is removed from the station and clamping device and a new bottle is supplied to the station.

It is also within the contemplation of the invention that if desired, the spring 31 for urging the brush outwardly may be eliminated. In this event the pivotal or hinged connection between the brush arm and the cap is retained, however,

land the spindle 24 is revolved at a high rate of speed. Centrifugal force then becomes effective to cause the brush to be thrown toward a horizontal position and this insures engagement of the brush with the inner profile of a bottle regardless of restrictions or enlargements thereof.

From the foregoing description it will appear that the improved bottle cleaning brush apparatus is of very simple and novel construction and is well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In a bottle cleaning apparatus, a reciprocatable and revoluble spindle, a fixed bushing surrounding one end portion of the spindle, a revoluble collar within the bushing and spacedly surrounding a portion of the spindle, anti-friction means between the collar and the bushing, a brush, and a yielding hinged connection between the brush and an end portion of the spindle, said brush being housed Within the collarwhen the spindle is in a retracted position.

2. In a bottle cleaning apparatus, a reciprocatable and revoluble tubular spindle, a portion of said spindle being longitudinally yieldable, a tubular cap removably carried by one end of said spindle, a brush arm, a series of bristles to form a brush mounted on said brush arm, said series of bristle arranged in convolute form, a. hinged connection between an inner end portion of the brush arm and said cap, a spring associated with said hinged connection and the brush arm to yieldingly urge said arm toward an angularly outwardly directed position relative to the spindle axis, a Xed bushing surrounding one end portion of the spindle, a revoluble collar within the bushing and spacedly surrounding a. portion of the spindle, and anti-friction means between the collar and the bushing, the brush arm and brush being housed within the collar when the spindle is in a retracted position.

3. In a bottle cleaning apparatus, a reciprocatable and revolvable spindle, a xed bushing surrounding one end portion of the spindle, a revolvable collar within the bushing and spacedly surrounding a portion of the spindle, a brush, and a yielding hinged connection between the brush and an end portion of the spindle, said brush being housed Within the collar when the spindle is in a retracted position.

CHARLES W. REISE. 

